


The Music Shop

by BethXP



Series: Old Horrible Histories RPF Fics [4]
Category: Horrible Histories RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-04-23
Packaged: 2018-01-20 13:31:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1512362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BethXP/pseuds/BethXP
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Please be aware this fic is here for cataloguing and storing purposes only. It was written by a young teenager who was new to fanfiction and I hope to god has improved over the past few years. I'd rather not be told how poorly written/badly spelt/nonsense story this fic is because believe me I know, so if you read it it is at your own risk. This has been a warning by the writer of this fic. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am uploading a lot of old fics over the next week or so and so I am putting this warning on all of them but people have been so lovely about these things and I really appreciate it so thank you.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Music Shop

“Oh please please please?!” begged Mat as he tugged on Ben’s coat sleeve.

“But I’m tired Mat,” moaned Ben, “we’ve been shopping for hours!” Mat pushed his bottom lip out and gave Ben is best puppy dog face. It was a trick he would always pull as a last resort to get what he wanted, as Ben could not refuse it. “Fine!” He rolled his eyes and allowed Mat to lead him by the hand to where he wanted to go.

Mat had just moved flat and needed a few household items, so being the good boyfriend that he was; Ben agreed to go shopping with him. A ‘quick trip down the high street’ became a whole day shopping and Ben’s arms were aching after carrying bags of pretty patterned mugs, figurines, and a few CDs.

“I will be really quick,” Mat said as he pushed open the door. Ben pulled a face, that was the third time he had heard Mat say that that day.

The shop Mat so desperately wanted to explore was the music shop, it had only recently opened and so Mat had not had the chance to go in. He had always liked them, a huge room full of shiny, exciting instruments gave him the same adrenalin rush that caused people to jump out of aeroplanes with only a bit of fabric to keep them safe.

A small squeal escaped Mat’s lips as he entered the room and Ben could not help but smile fondly at the childlike way he skipped from one instrument to the next with pure glee on his face. Ben was aware that Mat could probably play every instrument in sight if he wanted to, music was one of the many talents he was blessed with, and one of the many reasons that Ben found him so attractive. Whenever they recorded the Horrible Histories songs, Ben found himself watching Mat record some of the music on the other side of the sound booth, even when he did not need to be there, because it was just so enchanting.

Content in seeing Mat happy, Ben took a seat in one of the husband chairs in the corner and waited for Mat to get bored. He put the heavy bags down on the floor and crossed his arms patiently, chuckling every now and again when he heard a familiar voice go “wow” from somewhere out of sight.

For a short while Ben heard nothing and he had almost dozed off in the seat when the sound of someone calling his name startled him awake.

“Ben! Ben! You have to come and see this!”

Mat peered round the glass case of wind instruments, joy etched in his face like he had discovered something better than Christmas. He grabbed Ben by the hands and pulled him to his feet, leading him to an area around the corner from the main shop room.

“Oh wow,” Ben said as Mat dramatically opened his arms up to show the Grand Piano in the middle of the room.

“Isn’t she beautiful?”

“Er, yeah it’s great,” Ben replied not quite so enthusiastically. He had never shared Mat’s adoration for actual instruments themselves, although when played well, he certainly appreciated the sounds they made. But Mat did not notice Ben’s fake impressed expression as he was too busy stroking the top of the piano and smiling at his own reflection in the shiny black material it was made from.

“I’ve always wanted one of these,” he said to no one in particular, “but we never had the money or the room.” Ben saw the look of longing in Mat’s eyes. He could see it being that one thing on the Christmas list that Mat never got, like how many girls asked for ponies that never fitted in Father Christmas’s sack, Mat wanted a piano.

“Well why don’t you give it a little tinkle now?”

“What?”

“You know,” Ben pretended to play the piano in the air, waving his fingers up and down. “This is a music shop, people test out instruments all the time, nobody will mind.” Mat still looked unsure so Ben took the initiative to open up the piano so that the pristine black and white keys were on display.

“What are you doing?” exclaimed Mat in a hushed tone, looking around and expecting the shop owner to appear and throw them out. Ben ignored him and used his thumb and forefinger to play two notes at the same time. It sounded awful. “No, no, no,” Mat grimaced as he pushed Ben’s hand away, “you can’t play two notes next to each other at the same time; they clash. Here.” He took a seat on the small leather stool and stretched his fingers across the keyboard. He straightened his back and took a deep breath in, closing his eyes momentarily before gently pressing down three notes with his left hand. A vibration of low sounds filled the room and Mat added the melody over the top with his right hand. In seconds he was lost in the music and had completely forgotten his fears of being seen. He swayed back and forth, rocking his head as the music guided him.

Ben was transfixed. He had heard Mat play numerous times before, but never like this. He did not recognise the song Mat was playing, something classical and made for the piano obviously, but that was as far as Ben’s musical knowledge went. He wanted to ask Mat but he also didn’t want to disturb him from his trace. A smile tugged at his lips as he reached out and lightly stroked Mat on the cheek. Mat turned to him at his touch and smiled, causing Ben’s stomach to flip. Although Mat said nothing, Ben knew he was telling Ben with his eyes that this song was for him, that every emotion that was expressed with the sharps, flats, and naturals were the emotions Mat felt whenever he was near Ben, and a lump formed in Ben’s throat as the realised this.

“I love you.”

The music stopped suddenly. Mat’s hands were still hovering over the keys as he spluttered.

“W-what?”

Ben’s eyes widened as he realised what he had said, blood rushing to his cheeks. They had not said the ‘L’ word yet for they had only been dating for a short while.

“Nothing, nothing, I said nothing,” Ben blurted out, avoiding Mat’s questioning eyes.

Mat gave a disappointing little “oh,” and went back to playing on the piano. However this time, the piece he chose to play was solemn and melancholy. Ben felt the need to cry once more, but for completely different reasons this time. “No, no, I’m sorry I did say something.” Mat stopped playing once more and looked up hopefully into Ben’s big blue slightly-wetter-than-they-should-be eyes. Ben tried to speak, he opened his mouth but the only noise that came out was a sort of choking sound.

“Yes?”

Ben took a deep breath in and tried again.

“I said I love you… I love you Mat Baynton.”

Mat stared at him for what felt like an age, but then without warning he grabbed Ben by the collar and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Ben had to grab Mat’s shoulders to stop himself from falling over as he almost lost his balance. Mat pulled away but still clung to Ben’s top so that their faces were only inches apart.

“I love you too.”

“Excuse me,” bellowed a voice they did not recognise. Mat let Ben go as they both turned to see a short, fat man in a cheap suit approach them. “If you are not going to buy this piano would you kindly leave my shop?” Despite using the word ‘kindly’, there was nothing polite about this man’s manner. But Mat and Ben were far too intoxicated on each other to care. They exchanged looks and burst into fits of giggles. Mat slipped his hand into Ben’s and gave it a little squeeze.

“Want to go back to mine?” he asked.

“Loved to.”


End file.
